The Wedding
by beaute-ephemere
Summary: Hermione Granger needs a date to a wedding, and fast. What on earth will she do?


**House : Slytherin**

 **Year : 2**

 **Category : Short**

 **Prompt : [Event] Wedding**

 **Word Count : 1879**

A little known fact about Hermione Jean Granger was just how well to do her parents were. Not only did they have money, but they had the social status to accompany it. They were starkly upper class, the highest echelon of society, the Malfoys of the Muggle world. They were good parents, and they chose to keep their daughter out of the spotlight as best they could, hoping she could live a life of relative peace. It was a choice the young, extremely awkward Hermione was extremely grateful for - she managed to live out the first eleven years of her life almost completely avoiding all the dinner parties and soirées her parents seemed to spend most of their time at.

When she went to Hogwarts, a whole new genre of anonymity sprung up. Few people knew much about the Muggle world, and even less cared, so no one had so much as an inkling of her wealth, and no one asked what her Muggle life was like. She was relieved - she was an awful liar. When Professor Slughorn had asked her what her parents did years later, she took one look at his awful teeth and said the first thing that sprung to mind - dentists. Yes, her parents were dentists. No, it wasn't an interesting, uncommon or dangerous profession - certainly nothing that would add to the prestige of the Slug Club she hated being a part of.

After having Obliviated, and subsequently Un-Obliviated her parents, as well as having lived through a war, Hermione's view on things shifted slightly. She may not be particularly fond of her wealth and privilege - things she didn't earn - but they were an inalienable part of her, and she felt it was wrong to keep running away from it. So she accompanied her parents to a few events - only the very important ones - and told her closest friends about her biggest secret. Harry had taken it extremely well, fully understanding her decision to keep this part of her identity hidden.

'I wish I could've turned off the whole 'Chosen-One' status from once in a while,' he'd mutttered.

Ron, on the other hand, seemed more hurt than anything. 'We're your friends, Hermione. You know we'll love you no matter what. I wished you had trusted us enough to tell us before,' he said. Hermione had been at a loss at what to say. She had known Harry would relate, but she had worried about how Ron would feel. In the end, he had come round rather quickly, and only made her promise never to make him pay for his own meal when they ate out together.

The next day, Hermione visited Ginny to confess. The Weasley girl hadn't been surprised in the least.

'Oh, I always suspected something. Your manners are way too good. And why, Hermione, now your social status is just another thing you have in common with Draco. Wouldn't it be nice to discuss that with him over some tea and…'

'Gin! Will you give it a rest! Ever since you've started working with Malfoy you've been scheming to set us up. Neither of us want that! I - '

'Neither of you _know_ you want that. Yet.'

'It's not going to happen. Seriously, Gin.'

'Whatever helps you sleep at night. Though I do think there are other, more productive things you could be doing at night. Draco-related things…'

'Ginevra!'

'Okay, okay, I'll stop. I won't bring him up for the rest of the morning.'

'Thanks.' Hermione glanced at her watch. 11:58 AM. Just wonderful.

.oOo.

The next day, Hermione was sorting through her mail when she saw a heavy cream-coloured envelope with gold trimming. She knew what that was - an invitation. She opened it gingerly, dreading the contents of the letter. Her worst fears were confirmed. It was a formal invitation to Viscount Oakfield and Baroness Heatherware's wedding. Next week.

Within moments, she was on the phone to her mother. 'Must I go?' she moaned.

'I would really appreciate it if you did, darling.'

'Fine. I'll go, but know I do it with the utmost contempt.'

'Wonderful! Also, it would be advisable to bring a plus one. Anyway, I must rush off. Talk soon, love!'

Hermione groaned as the line went dead. Now, not only did she have to attend an awful event, she also had to train one of her hapless friends to not embarrass her completely at the aforementioned event. Shaking her head in despair, she grabbed her wand and Apparated to the Burrow.

Molly was just sitting on the porch when she saw Hermione appear. 'Oh, hello, dear! What brings you here?'

'Good morning, Mrs Weasley. I was wondering if Ginny was around.'

'Oh, yes, she should be in her room. Head right up.'

'Thanks!' Hermione replied. Before long, she was in her friend's bedroom moaning about the wedding.

'It's just so unfair, you know. I have no desire whatsoever to attend this stuffy event,' she complained. 'I don't even know the couple!'

'Ah, first world problems, my dear. The more interesting question is, who are you going to bring. I, for one, have a friend who would surely go with you. He's very good-looking, tall, blond - '

'Not helping, Gin! Now is not the time! I need to find someone suitable, and I only have a week to do it! Seriously though, who announces their marriage seven days before?'

'Maybe she's pregnant? Who knows. Who cares! You have more pressing matters to attend to.'

'Ah, yes. Would you mind if I borrowed Harry?'

'No, but are you forgetting the two of us are in Rome next week?

'Oh, dammit! There goes my plan to have you drink Polyjuice potion and come as my date. I guess Ron might be free though.'

'Uh huh. That will be _wonderful_. I love my dear brother, but he has the manners of a drunk troll.'

'It'll be fine. I'm going to see him right now, in fact. Begin prep. Have his suit dry-cleaned.' Ginny began to laugh. 'Oh, he doesn't own a suit, does he?' Hermione sighed.

'Making him civil is a fool's errand, love.'

'Well, I can at least try.'

'Sure, sure. Whatever floats your boat.'

With that, Hermione left he Burrow to go see Ron. She returned a couple of hours later in a foul mood.

'Impossible, I tell you!' she half-screeched. 'I was trying to teach him the basic etiquette of using cutlery - which utensil for which foods and so on - when I told him he should never use his hands. I assumed he knew that. It seems he did not. He asked me what he should do if they served ribs. I told him they wouldn't, but after that, it was all downhill. He wasn't listening anymore, and just keep asking about the bloody ribs.'

'I don't want to say I told you so, but I told you so,' Ginny replied.

'I know, I know! But what else can I do? Who else can I ask?'

'Seamus?'

'On his honeymoon to the Galapagos with Dean.'

'Ah. Neville?'

'Come on, Gin. He's lovely, but he's even worse than our dear Ron.'

'Viktor?'

'Krum?!'

'Yeah. You already went to one formal event with him, didn't you?'

'Yeah, but he's an athlete, not an aristocrat. In the Wizarding World, no one cares about his etiquette because he's famous. In the Muggle world, he could just be any guy I picked up on the street.'

'Just go stag. Who cares?'

'I do. It means a lot to my parents that I'm part of that community. I hate it, but I have to play by their rules.'

'Uh-huh.'

Hermione sighed and buried her head in her hands. 'What in Merlin's name am I going to do?'

Ginny smirked. She had an excellent idea.

.oOo.

The next morning, Hermione received an owl from Ginny.

'Meet me at 5:30 at the Three Broomsticks.'

.oOo.

At exactly 5:25, Hermione, still in her work suit, appeared on the doorstep of the Three Broomsticks. She pushed open the door to see Ginny sitting at a table in the far corner. Hermione quickly made her way over to her.

'Oh, am I late? Sorry,' she said.

'Not at all, not at all. I just knew you'd be early.'

'Punctuality is important. Anyway, why did you ask me here in the first place?'

'Ah, yes. Well, you'll be happy to know I found you a date for the wedding.'

'Seriously? Oh gosh, you're the best! Thank you so much!'

'No problemo! My pleasure.'

'Wait. Who _is_ this date?'

'Just wait and see! He should be arriving any moment.'

As if by magic, the door swung open as Ginny spoke, revealing an impeccably dressed Draco Malfoy.

'No, no. Please no. You have to be kidding me. This is not the time! It's really important that I find someone,' Hermione whispered frantically.

'Think about it, Hermione. He knows all your stupid etiquette rules - I checked, they're pretty much the same for Muggles and Wizards - and he's bloody hot. Sure, he can be obnoxious, but he can also be extremely charming and thoughtful. You don't have that many options, and this definitely isn't the worst one,' the Weasley girl hissed back.

Before Hermione could reply, Draco had reached them. 'Good evening,' he said.

'Hi!' said Ginny. Hermione stayed quiet, and for a few minutes, Draco and Ginny talked about work while she sulked. Then, out of the blue, the redhead stood up. 'I really have to go. Harry will be waiting. Have fun, you two!'

Before either Hermione or Draco could protest, she was gone. The tension was palpable as Hermione turned to Draco. 'Listen, about the wedding. Don't worry about it. I - I mean I can always go stag,' she muttered rather awkwardly.

Draco raised an eyebrow. 'Come on. We both know that that is hardly an option. That is, unless you are the peasant you pretend not to be.'

'What do you mean? How do you know I'm not a peasant?'

'Come on, Granger. And they call you smart. If you weren't going to some aristocratic event, you'd just take Weasley. And if you're going to an aristocratic event, then surely you're an aristocrat, because otherwise the only way you'd be going would be as a plus one, and then finding a date wouldn't be an issue. Really, it's just simple logic. Any fool could tell.'

'So… Ginny told you?'

'Every detail.'

'What a traitor.'

'Perhaps. But Granger, honestly, don't be a headstrong idiot. You know you can't go stag, and you also know you couldn't handle the embarrassment of going with some uncultured swine like Longbottom or Weasley.'

'Sure. But these events are the bane of my existence. They're so painful. No one enjoys them. Why put yourself through that? You're a Slytherin. You obviously have some ulterior motives.'

'First of all, I get to see you extremely uncomfortable for an entire night. Secondly, I was an arse in school, and I can't apologise enough for it. Actions speak louder than words. Let me do this for you, Granger.'

Hermione paused for a moment. 'Please, call me Hermione,' she finally said, allowing herself the smallest and sweetest of smiles.


End file.
